Graduate Cost Consultant

Bright Network; Cork; On-site; EUR 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Arup’s Early Careers Programme invites graduates to join as a Graduate Cost Consultant. You will work with multidisciplinary teams across transport, energy, aviation, data centres, and the built environment, developing expertise in cost planning, risk management, estimation and value engineering.

You’ll support procurement, review tender submissions, and help clients make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle, contributing to sustainable, evidence-based project outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree (Level 8 or above) or studying towards a Master’s degree in the relevant disciplines.
• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.

Responsibilities

• Preparing cost estimates, cost plans and financial analyses from feasibility through to detailed design and delivery.
• Assisting with pricing documents, bills of quantities and quantity take-offs.
• Supporting procurement and tendering activities, including reviewing submissions and compliance.
• Reviewing project data, drawings and technical information to provide cost and commercial advice.
• Monitoring budgets, costs and forecasts to support project control and delivery.
• Collaborating with clients, designers and stakeholders to develop sustainable and value-driven solutions.
• Monitoring market trends and benchmarking data to support evidence-based recommendations.

Skills

Analytical skills

Quantitative skills

Communication

Teamwork

Sustainability mindset

Problem-solving

Organization

Attention to detail

Curiosity/initiative

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Master’s degree (in progress)

Quantity Surveying

Construction Management

Civil/Structural/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Built environment discipline

Tools

Microsoft Excel

Job description

See it differently

You see the world through a unique lens and that’s exactly what we need. We embrace how you see things differently – it’s essential for creating a sustainable future.

Arup is a global consultancy with advisory and technical expertise across more than 150 disciplines. We guide, plan and design the future of the built environment. Globally, each year we recruit hundreds of graduates and students who help us see things differently and solve the most complex challenges facing our clients, climate and communities.

The opportunity

Join Arup's Early Careers Programme as a Graduate Cost Consultant and play a key role in delivering some of the world's most exciting and complex infrastructure projects.

As a Graduate Cost Consultant, you will work with multidisciplinary teams and clients across sectors including transport, energy, aviation, data centres, and the built environment. You'll develop expertise in cost planning, risk management, estimation, value engineering, financial analysis, and project controls while helping clients make informed decisions throughout the project lifecycle.

What you'll do but not limited to:

• Preparing cost estimates, cost plans and financial analyses from feasibility stage through to detailed design and project delivery.
• Assisting Graduate Cost Consultant, with the preparation of pricing documents, including bills of quantities and quantity take-offs.
• Supporting procurement and tendering activities, including reviewing tender submissions and assessing compliance with tender requirements.
• Reviewing project data, drawings and technical information to provide cost and commercial advice.
• Monitoring project budgets, costs and forecasts to support effective project control and successful delivery.
• Collaborating with clients, designers and project stakeholders to develop efficient, sustainable and value-driven solutions.
• Monitoring market trends, benchmarking data and industry developments to support evidence-based recommendations.
• Developing an understanding of the wider project context and communicating the bigger picture to project teams and clients.

Is this role right for you?

For this opportunity, we are seeking the following qualifications, skills and attributes:

A Bachelor's degree (Level 8 or above), or studying towards a Master's degree in the relevant disciplines:

• Quantity Surveying
• Construction Management
• Engineering (Civil, Structural, Mechanical or Electrical)
• A related built environment discipline

We'd also like to see:

• Strong analytical and quantitative skills.
• Excellent communication and teamwork abilities.
• A keen interest in infrastructure, construction, and the built environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other digital tools.
• A passion for sustainability, resilience, and delivering better outcomes for communities.
• An organised, curious, and proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Curiosity, initiative and a willingness to learn from experienced professionals.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities.
• Attention to detail and commitment to delivering high-quality work.

To be considered for a graduate opportunity, your application must include a copy of your academic transcript and meet the following criteria:

• No more than 12 months of full-time experience in a comparable role
• Recently graduated, or on track to graduate, from your most recent degree, related to your role of choice, before employment starts.

Eligibility

We're able to consider candidates who require an employment permit to work in Ireland, where the role and offered salary meet the Irish Government's eligibility criteria (for example, under the Critical Skills or General Employment Permit schemes). "All Employment Permits are granted at the discretion of the Deciding Officer with offers contingent to obtaining the correct immigration to work and reside in Ireland."

What we offer you

At Arup, we care about each member’s success, so we can grow together.

Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling permanent members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

We take an approach to flexible working that supports the diversity and wellbeing of our graduates.

For our permanent members we offer private medical insurance allowances, life assurance and income protection cover.